Taste receptors in chronic rhinosinusitus, what is the evidence? A systematic review

Bitter and sweet taste receptors (T2Rs and T1Rs), respectively, are involved in the innate immune response of the sinonasal cavity and associated with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Growing evidence suggests extraoral TRs as relevant biomarkers, but the current understanding is incomplete. This systematic review synthesizes current evidence of extraoral taste receptors in CRS.

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus were reviewed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and included studies of genotypic and phenotypic T2R/T1R status in CRS patients.

Twenty-two studies with 3845 patients were included. Seventeen studies evaluated genotype and 10 evaluated taste phenotypes. Four of 6 studies examining the haplotype distribution of the T2R, TAS2R38, demonstrated increased AVI/AVI haplotype ("nontaster") frequency in CRS. Meanwhile, 2 studies demonstrated decreased bitter sensitivity in CRS with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), whereas 3 other studies reported decreased bitter sensitivity only in CRS without nasal polyposis (CRSsNP). Findings regarding sweet sensitivity were mixed. Three studies with cystic fibrosis patients (n = 1393) were included. Studies investigating the association between clinical outcomes and TAS2R38 alleles were limited, but the nonfunctional combination of AVI/AVI was associated with increased utilization of sinus surgery and, in CRSsNP patients, with poorer improvement of symptoms postoperatively.

Both genotypic and phenotypic assessments of T2Rs suggest a potential association with CRS, particularly CRSsNP. However, limited evidence and mixed conclusions cloud the role of T2Rs in CRS. Future investigations should aim to increase diverse populations, broaden institutional diversity, examine T1Rs, and utilize uniform assessments.